As Happy Valley fans tuned in on Sunday evening to watch the last ever episode of the gripping show, some viewers pointed out ‘unrealistic’ plot details that went amiss.
As the BBC crime drama aired for the final time after nine years and three seasons, viewers across the nation were so gripped to the edge of their sofas when 9pm came around on February 5th, many failed to realise a few ‘convenient errors’ along the way.
They watched on as convicted criminal Tommy Lee Royce, played by James Norton, broke into Sergeant Catherine Cawood’s home, played by Sarah Lancashire, while she was sleeping on her sofa. But she woke up and left only to return later, while he was still there.
As fans prepared to bid farewell to tough, witty, no-nonsense copper Sergeant Cawood, and her evil nemesis Royce, the pair had one final stand-off in her kitchen. In a gripping scene, millions of viewers had been waiting for, the two traded insults and emotional home truths in an incredibly tense final meeting.
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Royce, bleeding out, was left weak and unable to attack his arch-enemy as he had done in the past, eventually setting himself on fire.
In the end, Cawood came out of her house alive saying ‘We had another bit of a tussle. I won’, on her last shift before her retirement. She left Tommy after she put him out with Claire’s blanket saying: “I think I may have singed one of your crochet blankets.”
But Royce’s journey from being on the run and ending up at Cawood’s, was not as plain sailing as it had started when he broke free from custody while on trial in court, to cycling past racing police cars, and smiling to himself as he planned to take his biological son Ryan away to Benidorm.
He ended up having to kill his former allies thanks to a well-placed rock during a showdown in a field – something that didn’t go unnoticed by viewers.
Taking to the keyboard, one viewer wrote: “Watch out for the convenient rock!! #HappyValley.” Another typed: “Ahh yes, the convenient rock in that empty grass field. Ultimate murder weapon #HappyValley.” And, a third tweeted: “Funny how there always seems to be a handy rock.#HappyValley.”
“How lucky it was for Tommy that there happened to be a convenience rock nearby, followed by an even bigger convenience rock to finish the job! #HappyValley,” was another of the many tweets about the handy rock read on Sunday night.
But the well-placed murder weapon wasn’t the only ‘convenient’ detail Happy Valley fans spotted – with many questioning why police weren’t watching Catherine’s house.
Strictly Come Dancing’s Dan Walker shouted: “WHY ARE THE POLICE NOT WATCHING THE HOUSE? (I know it’s only a TV show & sorry for shouting) #HappyValley.”
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Another typed: “Maybe the police should watch Catherine’s house? Just a thought. #HappyValley.” Another declared: “Ignoring the fact her house would have been under police guard #DramaticLicence #HappyValley.”
The final scenes of the gripping finale was filled with humourous exchanges and heartwarming moments, with viewers praising the show’s creator Sally Wainwright for the realistic elements.
“This argument between catherine and tommy is so f***ing funny #HappyValley,” one fan posted online as Catherine and Tommy traded insults.
“I’m obsessed with Tommy and his sassy responses #HappyValley,” another added, with one more delighted viewer gushing: “Sally Wainwright is a master storyteller. This finale is more set in reality than some over the top finales that are total fantasy #HappyValley.”
Filming for the latest series of Top Gear has been cancelled after presenter Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff was injured in an accident, the BBC has said.
The presenter, 45, was hurt in the accident while filming in December at Top Gear’s test track at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome, in Surrey. The BBC said: “Under the circumstances, we feel it would be inappropriate to resume making series 34.”
The broadcaster has said a decision on how to best continue would be made later this year. Following the accident, which happened on December 13th, the media personality received medical attention at the scene before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
In a statement, the BBC said: “We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery. We understand this [halting the show] will be disappointing for fans, but it is the right thing to do, and we’ll make a judgement about how best to continue later this year.”
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The crash is believed to have left Flintoff ‘psychologically traumatised’. The broadcaster has said the incident has also impacted the production team, and there will be a health and safety review of the show. Top Gear is one of its most successful programmes, and has had a series of different presenters since 2002.
It is not the first time the former England cricketer has been involved in an accident since he began presenting the long-running programme back in 2019, alongside co-hosts Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris.
He also crashed into a market stall in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, in February 2019, and then in September of the same year, he also crashed during a drag race while he was filming at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire – the latter in which he walked away unharmed.
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After retiring from international cricket in 2010, Flintoff ventured into TV where he became part of Sky’s, A League of Their Own, and was also a contestant on the Australian version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, where he was crowned king of the jungle.
Trying his hand at acting, he has also appeared in the drama Love, Lies and Records in 2017 – and singing in Fat Friends The Musical too. It is unknown whether Flintoff will make a return to the show at this time.
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Long standing fans of the show will remember that former Top Gear presenter, Richard Hammond, also crashed at the same airfield track in a high-speed accident in 2006. The accident left him in a coma for a period of time while he made a full recovery from a brain injury.
He survived and ultimately returned to the series alongside fellow hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May. The trio left Top Gear in 2015 after an altercation between Clarkson and a producer.
Last month, Hammond said he worried the crash would be responsible for his worsening memory.
Ed Sheeran breaks down in tears in new emotional documentary as he talks about his wife Cherry Seaborn’s health issues and the death of his best friend Jamal Edwards.
The pop sensation can be seen breaking down into tears in the first trailer for his new documentary series, The Sum Of It All. The singer, 32, will be showing the ups and downs in his life on the road to stardom in the four-part series on Disney+, airing on Wednesday May 3rd.
As reported in The Mail Online, the clip begins with Ed talking about his childhood, growing up with a stutter, and saying: “That guy doesn’t grow up to be a pop star. It’s so unlikely,” — referring to himself. Childhood videos of Sheeran are interspersed with clips of him on stage during his sellout arena tours.
Fans will be taken through a journey from the beginning of his career, as they will see him first starting out in the industry, working his way up. As viewers watch the timeline of events, they will watch as Sheeran describes first meeting his best friend Jamal Edwards, who gave him his first big break, and their friendship until his sudden death last year.
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Edwards, a music producer and son of Brenda Edwards (Loose Women), tragically died after suffering a cardiac arrest brought on by taking cocaine and drinking alcohol in February 2022, at the age of 31. Sheeran’s wife Cherry Seaborn is also seen in the docuseries, as clips show her pregnant with the couple’s two children Lyra, two and Jupiter, 10 months old.
They are seen going on dates together with Ed saying: “Everything in my life sort of got so much better when Cherry came into it.” The series also delves into the health issues Cherry faced and the impact it had on the pair.
Just recently, Sheeran revealed they were plagued with ‘fear, depression and anxiety’ after Cherry was diagnosed with a tumour while she was pregnant with their second child. But she was unable to receive any treatment for it until after the birth.
@disneyplus / Instagram
The popular singer is seen breaking down as he cries in the back of a car as the death of his best friend and his wife’s health issues become overwhelming. A clip is also shown of Sheeran crying on stage while Seaborn can be heard saying: “I’ve never seen him cry on stage”.
Adding: “He hasn’t had the time to process and be at peace with his thoughts.”
The first look trailer ends with clips of happier times as Sheeran celebrates his birthday, performs on stage and laughs with his friends saying: “Life can be unpredictable.” The popular singer recently revealed that the first single off his new album Subtract, is dedicated to his late best friend Edwards — with Eyes Closed set for release on Friday March 24th.
As he announced the release of his sixth studio album he said it had been inspired by the personal tragedies he had faced.
In a post on his Instagram account on Wednesday, made to his 42 million followers, he revealed the loss of his close friend who had inspired the track and that in the video he is ‘dancing with my eyes closed to try to get through it.’
Alongside the post he wrote: “Eyes closed is out March 24th, you can pre order it now. “The song is about losing someone, feeling like every time you go out and you expect to just bump into them, and everything just reminds you of them and things you did together.
“You sorta have to take yourself out of reality sometimes to numb the pain of loss but certain things just bring you right back into it. Blue was Jamal’s colour, but now is all I feel. And I guess music helps heal, so I’m dancing with my eyes closed to try to get through it x.”
@disneyplus / Instagram
Alongside the images, the singer posted two black-and-white photographs, where he appeared deep in thought as he reflected on the emotional toll he experienced over the past couple of years.
Sheeran’s latest single, Subtract is set to be released on May 5th with Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. It is thought it will be similar to the hitmaker’s earlier works, having his signature acoustic feel.
Davina McCall has been announced as the host of new ITV reality dating show The Romance Retreat, which will see a group of single parents brought together in a villa in what is being dubbed the ‘middle-aged Love Island’.
The former Big Brother presenter and The Masked Singer judge, 55, confirmed the news in a post on her Instagram with a video of her showing her sheer excitement for the new show.
In the clip, posted today (Thursday March 16th), she said: “I manifested and I made it happen. I willed there to be an amazing new dating programme for grown-ups, people who have lived a life, who have been through experiences, bad, moving, they’ve had tough lives.
“They’ve got luggage but they deserve love and it’s happening. It’s coming to ITV soon.”
The Instagram caption read: “Omg.. I manifested and it came true!! I’ll be hosting a brand NEW grown up dating series for ITV1 !!
@davinamccall / Instagram
“This is a show for single parents who have lived a life, have stories to tell about their dating pasts and deserve another chance at love and I’m gonna help you. It will all take place in the most romantic countryside location!”
Fans of the familiar media personality congratulated Davina on the new role with one saying: “Oh my god, you really are a power house. I was listening to you talking to Steven Bartlett about this thinking what a good idea. You’re such an inspiration. Go get ’em Davina !!”
Another put: “YESSSSSS! You told me about this and it is SUCH a great idea forwarding to amazing, beautiful single friends now xxxx.”
And many more also wished her a huge congratulations. Davina encouraged anyone who wants to find love, and who has a child over the age of 18, to apply before adding: “It’s going to be amazing.”